Illuminated switch and indicator.



' R. W. DAVENPORT. ILLUMINATED SWITCH AND INDICATOR. APPLICATION FILED SEPT.23. 1,915.

1,213,845. Patented Jan. 30, 1917 $1, mmhzvm UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RANSOM W. DAVENPORT, 015 DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO DETROIT STOVE WORKS, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

ILLUMINATED SWITCH AND INDICATOR.

Application filed September 23, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RANsoM W. DAVEN- PORT, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Illuminated Switches and Indicators, of which the following is a specification,-reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to electrical heating apparatus; more particularly electric cooking ranges, and it is the object of the invention to provide an indicating controllingswitch which is automatically illuminated when the apparatus is in service.

It is usual in the construction of electric ranges to place the controlling switches in the front of the range beneath the projecting top plate, and it-is also common to use switches having dial indicators showing the varying degrees of heat by such markings as high, low, medium and off. As the indications on the dial are more or less shadowed by the location of the switch they are often diflicult to read. I have therefore provided means for illuminating the dial whenever the circuit controlled by the switch is closed, and have further utilized this illuminating means as an indicator that the device is in operation, thus reducing waste of current through the operators forgetfulness, by constantly reminding him that the current is on.

In the drawings; Figure 1 is a View showing in section a portion of an electric range to which my improvement is applied. Fig. 2 is a detail view of the temperature indicating means associated with the switch.

A is the top-plate of the range having the forwardly-projecting flange portion B.

C is a casing located beneath said topplate in rear of said projecting flange, and D and E are respectively a controlling switch and a fuse boX located in said casing. The switch D is preferably of a construction provided with an indicator dial, which as shown is formed on a bevel face F. The body of the switch is preferably made within the casing C, but the beveled dial portion is exposed at the front in a recess or niche G in the front wall of the case.

To facilitate the reading of the. dial, I have arranged within the case '0 above the switch an electric lamp H. This is so posi- Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J an. 30, 1917.

Serial No. 52,301.

tioned that the light will be directed downward upon a portion of the bevel face of the dial, the portion illuminated being that on which the reading is taken. A bulls-eye I is also preferably arranged in the front wall of the case opposite the lamp H, so that a portion of the light will be directed therethrough. When properly constructedthis bulls-eye will always glow when the lamp is in operation and will be observable from all directions, so as to indicate the operation of the, range.

The lamp H can be placed in circuit either in series or in shunt, but prpferably as shown, it is placed in a circuit J which is in shunt with a heater K controlled by the switch. In operation, whenever the switch D is turned on, the lamp H will be illuminated and a portion of the light is directed upon the dial F. The bevel face of this dial is favorable to observation of the indications thereon by a person in front of the range, and avoids the necessity of stooping to the level of the switch. At the same time. the bulls-eye'will retract the light to disperse it in all directions and consequently an observer from any point in the room can detect whether or not the stove is in operation. p g

What I claim as my invention is 1. In an electric cooking range, the combination with an electric circuit of an electric switch forcontrolling said circuit, including a heating unit, a casing for inclosing said switch, an indicating dial associated with the switch within the casing, the casing being apertured to permit reading of said dial, and a lamp within. said casing' and controlled by said switch for illum1- nating said dial upon the closing of said circuit. a

2; The combination with an electric cooking range, of a controlling switch therefor, an indicator on said switch having an inclined face, a housing in which said switch is placed apertured for the observation of said indicator, a lamp within said housing for illuminating said indicator when the circuit is closed, and a bullseye also illuminated by said lamp and observable from all directions.

3. In an electric cooking range, the combination with an. electric circuit, including a heating unit, of a controlling switch therefor, an indicator on said switch hav- F ii: 1,2133% ing an inclined face, a casing for inclosing said switch, apertured to permlt reading of the indications, and a lamp within said casing and controlled by said switch illuminating said bulls-eye and the indicating switch.

5. The combination with an electric circuit, of a controlling switch therefor. an indicator on said switch, a casing for inclosing said switch having an aperture opposite said indicator and having a second aperture, and a lamp within the casing positioned to throw light directly through said second aperture and indirectly through the aperture adjacent the indicator by reflection from the indicating surface.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signa- 25 ture in presence of two Witnesses.

RANSOM W. DAVENPORT. Witnesses:

JAMES P. BARRY, PHYLLIS CoBuRN. 

